Avian Flu

Presented by

Lance J. Parks, LCSW

Approvals

This course is recognized for 7 contact hours nationally for Nurses except for Delaware and New York. Please see our Board Approvals page for further information. Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CPE 14462 for 7 contact hours.

Objectives

At the completion of this course the healthcare practitioner will be able to:

1. Explain the tragedy of the Spanish flu pandemic in the early 1900’s.

2. Classify the different flu viruses

3. Describe the spread of Avian Flu among birds and humans

4. Identify symptoms of Avian Flu

5. Identify current treatment options for Avian Flu.

6. Follow recommended safety precautions when treating patients.

I. Introduction

The Avian Flu: We have heard about it for a couple of years now, and most say that it is only a matter of time until the flu crosses over to humans and travels the world, creating a worldwide pandemic.It has created such a concern that the United States Government has allotted billions of dollars to prepare for this seemingly inevitable tragedy. Should the virus run the predicted course, healthcare provides will be in the thick of treating patients, educating the public, and fighting the disease on the frontline where they are vulnerable to exposure.The effects of such a pandemic will be so broad, both in quantity and severity, that healthcare providers of various professions (nurses, social workers, family therapists, doctors, paramedics, etc.) will be called on to perform services for victims and their families.

For these reasons the information in this course, (retrieved from websites of the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO)), is important to know now, and becomes critical with each passing week.

This activity for 7 contact hours has been approved by the Alabama State Nurses Association, which is accredited as an approver of continuing education in nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.